Aaron Judge continues his historic chase for a .400 batting average, a feat not accomplished in Major League Baseball since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941. On Sunday, Judge delivered a stellar performance, homering twice and reaching base four times in a three-hit game, raising his average to an astounding .396. Despite his heroics, the New York Yankees fell 11-7 to the Boston Red Sox, as their pitching collapsed in a winnable game.
Judge’s night began with a statement: a two-run homer on the fifth pitch of the game off rookie Hunter Dobbins, a lifelong Red Sox fan who had boldly claimed he’d “retire” before playing for the Yankees. “I left a pitch up,” Dobbins admitted postgame, acknowledging Judge’s prowess. “He’s one of the best hitters of our generation.”
The Yankees’ captain wasn’t done. In the ninth, Judge launched a 398-foot solo shot, tying Lou Gehrig for the third-most multihomer games in franchise history with 43. His .396 average now surpasses Babe Ruth’s 1923 Yankees record of .393. “It would’ve been sweet if it was a win,” Judge said, downplaying his individual achievement. “Any time you get mentioned with those legends, it’s quite an honor.”
Red Sox manager Alex Cora noted Judge’s evolution at the plate. “He’s more aggressive early in counts,” Cora said. “We had a chance to challenge him a few times this weekend, and he did what he does. He’s on another level right now.”
Judge’s teammates are equally in awe. “He’s probably the best hitter on the planet right now,” said Paul Goldschmidt. “And he’s been doing it for multiple years, too—it’s not a one-night thing. We’re all almost in awe of him.
Yet, for all of Judge’s brilliance, the Yankees’ pitching let him down. Starter Carlos Rodón surrendered the lead, and the bullpen exacerbated the damage. Judge tried to spark a comeback, walking and scoring in the sixth to cut the deficit to 7-4, then legging out a two-out infield single in the fifth to bring the tying run to the plate. But Cody Bellinger’s pop-out ended the threat.
Manager Aaron Boone praised Judge’s all-around performance. “You don’t see balls hit the other way [for home runs] like that very often,” Boone said. “Judgy likes playing in these games, and I think you just saw a great player have a great night.”
Judge’s pursuit of .400 puts him in elite company. Since Williams’ 1941 season, only Tony Gwynn (.394 in 1994) and George Brett (.390 in 1980) have come close. Judge, who broke Roger Maris’ American League home run record with 62 in 2022, is no stranger to shattering historic benchmarks. But as Sunday’s loss showed, even a generational talent like Judge can’t single-handedly carry the Yankees to victory when the pitching falters.